The Wess-Zumino term for supermembranes and descent equations Original Research Article

As a result of the Wess-Zumino term in its action, the eleven-dimensional supermembrane realizes the super-Poincaré algebra extended by a Schwinger term containing a two-form charge. A set of “descent equations” are determined which place the relationship between the Wess-Zumino Lagrangian and the Schwinger term on a cohomological footing.